Art and Contemporary Craft

Full course title: BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place

This pioneering low residency programme is designed for the student who is ambitious about developing their studio practice, wants to maintain a sustained engagement with an artistic community but whose life and work demands flexibility.

Why choose West Dean?
An international reputation for excellence in conservation and arts education.
94% of students studying at the College* felt the programme had enhanced their skills and abilities (*2019 student survey)
A rich arts environment and a focus on craft skills with vocational application.
A low student:tutor ratio supported by staff who are practicing artists and industry professionals.
Located close to Chichester and the South Coast, with easy access to London.

The Course
The BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft explores the rich intersections between Fine Art practice and contemporary craft, offering you the opportunity to develop material knowledge whilst exploring new and innovative approaches to studio practice.
The course uniquely honours conceptual and material approaches, embracing traditional techniques and experimentation, enabling you to gain an advanced, in-depth understanding of your work and its related contexts. As well as celebrating interdisciplinary approaches to making, the programme teaches an integrated approach to art and craft theory, enabling you to explore ideas within a critical framework whilst generating a rigorous professional profile.
You can work across disciplines or choose to specialise in a set of key practices, including Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Ceramics, Textiles, subjects that have a longstanding history at West Dean. The outstanding location and rich cultural heritage of West Dean is a central feature of the programme, offering a unique setting in which to explore the crossovers between contemporary art and craft, and the role of the radical imagination in both local and global contexts.

Facilities
Materials and tool store
IT suite with digital editing software
Self-contained Print Room
Seminar room
Specialist Arts and Conservation Library
Access to short courses
Part-time Art and Contemporary Craft students receive 6-days of West Dean short courses per year as part of the programme. In addition, students can book any courses with a 50% discount, and can join last minute places free of charge (material fees may apply).

Teaching
The curriculum is delivered through 10 three-day intensive blocks of study taken each year, attendance of short courses, and monthly tutorials with specialist tutors. Course modules cover a programme of critical, practical and theoretical studies across the broad field of contemporary arts and crafts. Visiting teaching staff from different specialisms will support you in the development of your skills. Residential modules are supported by self-directed study offsite, and written assignments.

On the BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft you will receive around 21 contact hours during the study blocks, typically consisting of:
2 hours of lectures
5 hours of seminars
1 hours of one-to-one or group tutorials
6 hours of critique sessions or external visits
7 hours of practical workshops

Independent learning
Outside of the study blocks you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-directed study. Typically, this will involve:

Working in your studio, or equivalent
Developing supporting material and research portfolios
Undertaking research
Reading journal articles and books
Working on specific unit assignments
Preparing presentations and self-assessments

Overall workload
BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: 40% of your time is spent in scheduled teaching and learning activity
Scheduled teaching and learning: 250 hours
Independent learning: 350 hours